Naomi Watts likes to fly under the radar as much as possible, admitting that she is determined to live a normal life, even when the paparazzi are following around her family. She doesn’t want to give up going normal things or have to put herself in isolation because there is media attention – she would rather just face it and get on with it, and she believes her family cope well despite being in the middle of it all:

“There is nothing that is going to stop me [living a normal life]. I won’t allow that. Sometimes we may be suddenly surrounded by 10 or 15 photographers on the school run and they just won’t get out of your face, but most of the time we’re fine and can get through it. I don’t want to be stuck in the house and send someone to fetch the children.”

Commenting on being on the receiving end of some harsh criticism, Naomi says she was often told she was far too intense so she would freak people out during auditions, but her mother told her not to listen to anyone who knocked her back, even as she struggled to land roles:

“I got knockback after knockback at auditions. Just before ‘Mulholland Dr.’ my agent told me I was so intense I was freaking people out. She told me I was a brilliant actor but the feedback was that I made people feel uncomfortable because I was so nervous and intense. I just sat there and blubbed. My mum was staying in LA at the time and I went to her and said: ‘I just can’t do this. I’m not cut out for it.’ She just said: ‘Don’t believe a word people say about you. Forget them.’”